WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 19 - VTuber (4)

As soon as the surveillance period ended, Park Minho moved immediately.

First, he got rid of his old computer and phone and replaced them with new ones.

'Feels a bit overkill for a D-class surveillance target…but it’s better than constantly feeling uneasy.'

He had a laptop and over a hundred coins. Better safe than sorry.

Next, he retrieved the bag he’d hidden in the mountain behind his place.

‘No one’s following me, right?'

He kept glancing back on the way, just in case. But the trail was peaceful, filled with nothing but birds chirping.

-Chiiirp! Chirp!

When he reached the rock where he’d hidden the bag, it was exactly where he’d left it.

"Nice. Very nice."

Inside the dirt-covered bag, the massive stash of coins, the laptop, and all the other supplies were still there.

Out of everything, the most reassuring item was the laptop that could access the Backrooms Ghost Gallery.

Before using it outside the Backrooms, Park Minho had asked the glasses-wearing informant about it.

The answer had been simple.

- No need to worry. The NCE isn’t omnipotent. Unless you’re an awakened individual, their ability to detect anomalous objects or entities is pretty weak. And why do you think that laptop is so bulky? It’s designed to prevent its Anomaly Levels from leaking.

After a long time, Park Minho opened the laptop again and made a post on the gallery.

[Title] I’m back, you bastards

Author: Cheezza

The reaction was more explosive than ever.

ㄴWOW LMAOOOOO this guy’s still alive?

ㄴThe King returns, lessgoooo!! LOOOOL

ㄴYou still inside, or did you escape?

ㄴHeard you got dragged away by the NCE. So do they really torture you like the rumors say?

ㄴ(LostHassan) Cockroach. An absolute cockroach. Damn, this guy just won’t die.

People were asking him to spill everything, but honestly, Park Minho hesitated.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Not sure how much I should even say.

ㄴBrooo, don’t be stingy, spill it.

ㄴ(Cheezza) It’s not that. I got picked up by the NCE this time, and the only reason I got out safely was because a gallery user helped me, you know?

ㄴWait, wut? Gallery users can affect the real world???

ㄴThat’s insane wtf

ㄴ(Cheezza) Anyway, that made me realize something. The ghosts in this forum can influence reality. So shouldn’t security matter now? Like, what if one of you takes my old verification pic and spreads rumors like “This guy’s go 100 coins, lol”? I’d be completely screwed.

It was a valid concern.

ㄴI get what you’re saying, but are there actually users who can contact the real world?

ㄴWe’re literally stuck in white rooms just browsing the forum. No way to spread anything outside.

ㄴYou can’t guarantee that though. Some users are just on another level.

ㄴWait, srsly;; ? ppl in white rooms can communicate externally???

ㄴWhat is this, some sort of secret organization???

At that moment the admin showed up.

ㄴ<Admin> If you’re worried about that, just sign the ‘Gallery User Agreement.’ I already know which users can contact the outside. Once you sign, they won’t be able to leak your info without permission. But you'll have obligations too, so think carefully.

ㄴ(Cheezza) An Agreement? That was a thing here?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Remember the three choices I told you about before? Looks like it’s finally time for you to srsly decide.

The choices Pitbull had mentioned were:

1. Escape the Backrooms.

2. Farm coins.

3. Uncover the secrets of the Backrooms.

ㄴ(Pitbull) Think of it as tiers. How deep you're willing to get involved with the Backrooms. So far, you chose escape. That’s why you only had access to low-level info and security.

The gallery users had been cooperative, but there were always things they refused to explain.

ㄴ(Cheezza) So Tier 2, coin farming, means getting more involved than now, and Tier 3, uncovering secrets, means going even deeper than that?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Exactly. The higher the tier, the higher the level of information and security you get. At Tier 3, nothing you say in the gallery can leak outside. The admin monitors all external communication under the agreement.

This time, Kim Chilsung had sent Park Minho’s photo to someone named Director Yoon. It was to help him, but that way, even that kind of thing would be impossible without his consent.

On top of that, the agreement also prohibited hostile actions between users.

 ㄴ(Cheezza) From what you’re saying, Tier 3 sounds like the best option. But nothing in life is free, right?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Right. There’s a cost. The gallery just asks one thing from survivors.

ㄴ(Cheezza) And that is?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Revival. You can pull us out of the White Room. Only survivors who use the gallery can do it.

ㄴ(Cheezza) So right now, that’s just me?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Yeah. You’re the only one.

Only then did Park Minho understand why the gallery users had helped him so actively.

'Do I sign it or not…?'

Security mattered. If word got out that he had over a hundred coins, he’d instantly become a target. And if that happened, he’d be completely defenseless.

'The problem is that I would get even more tangled up with the Backrooms. So in the end, to protect what I have, I have to take on even more risk...'

After thinking it through, he made his decision. There was no going back to how things used to be.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Alright. I agree.

ㄴ<Admin> What level?

ㄴ(Cheezza) Tier 3. If I’m doing this, I’m going all in.

* * *

Once he signed the agreement, all gallery-related concerts were cleanly resolved. And a new feature appeared. Direct Messages.

Not long after, he received a message.

▶ Chiavelli: Would you be interested in the Church of Flesh? I’d love to share some wisdom with you.

"......?"

He had no idea what that meant, so he ignored it. What mattered more was Seol Suyeon.

He immediately sent a message to the VTuber Sommong.

[We went through the green poster together. If you remember me, please contact me.]

-Click.

Only after hitting send did Park Minho lean back in his chair.

'Will she even see it?’

A streamer of Sommong’s size probably got flooded with messages every day. He’d be lucky if it didn’t get buried as spam.

But a replay came almost instantly.

[Minho-nim? Please call me! 010-9××1-76××]

The urgency was obvious even through the text. Park Minho dialed the number right away.

-Drrrrr, drr—

It didn't even get past two rings before she picked up.

-Minho-nim? Minho-nim, is that really you?

It was unmistakably Seol Suyeon’s voice, albeit a bit less strained and softer than before.

"Yes, Suyeon-nim. It’s me.”

That single line was like he pulled a trigger. The tears Seol Suyeon had been holding back burst out all at once.

"Minho-nim! Minho-nim! Uugh, sob…! You’re alive, thank god, really thank god… I thought that you maybe didn’t make it out and I was the only one…”

It felt like a dam that had barely been holding on had finally collapsed. It was only natural, as Seol Suyeon had been drowning in emotion.

The guilt of thinking she might have escaped alone. The isolation of having no one to share that nightmare with. And on top of that the fear of the growing hole in her floor.

"Hng…Sniff, sob. Ungh."

Her voice was soft and shaky, like a cookie soaked too long in milk.

"Suyeon-nim, are you okay? Should we meet?”

"Y-yes, please come to my place. I…I’ll send you…my address! So please, you have to come…!”

"Is it really okay for me to come over?”

"Yes, actually, it has to be my place.”

"Alright. When should I come?”

"Now! Right now!”

As soon as the call ended, the address came through.

'Gwacheon? That’s basically right next door.'

About 30 minutes later, Park Minho arrived in front of her door on the 8th floor of a newly built apartment.

-Ding, dong.

The moment he rang the bells, the door unlocked almost immediately.

-Beep, beep.

Seol Suyeon stood right in front of him.

Loose clothes, a slightly hunched posture, hands drawn defensively to her chest, long, thick hair, and thick-rimmed glasses.

Park Minho felt relief seeing that she hadn’t changed at all.

"Suyeon—”

Before he could even finish, she threw her arms around him.

"Minho-nim!”

There was desperation in that embrace. She clung to him just like back in the Backrooms, when they held onto each other’s hands like lifelines.

"It’s really you. Sob, sob…”

"Yeah, it’s me.”

Park Minho awkwardly placed a hand on her back, patting her gently.

And he let her cry as much as she needed.

* * *

"I-I’m sorry. I got a little too emotional…Ahaha…”

In the living room, Seol Suyeon sat with her face flushed bright red, unable to meet his eyes.

"It’s fine. More importantly, did anyone suspicious come by? Like someone from a place called NCE?”

“Huh…? No, nothing like that.”

In Seol Suyeon’s case, no one had reported her missing, so she never even made it onto NCE’s radar. If she’d been taken in and given a truth serum, it would’ve been a complete disaster.

'That’s a relief.'

But Seol Seyeon kept glancing toward one of the rooms. Park Minho, sharp as ever, didn’t miss it.

"Is there something in there?”

"Yes......"

"What is it?”

"Could you come take a look with me…?”

Park Minho immediately felt something was off.

"Alright."

"This way…This room used to be my streaming room. I can’t really use it anymore though.”

"Why can’t you……Ah?”

The moment he opened the door, he saw the pitch-black hole in the floor.

"What the hell is that?”

Seol Suyeon quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Don’t get too close! It might just swallow you.”

“Is that a hole leading to the Backrooms?”

"I think so. The problem is that it’s been getting bigger every day. What do I do?”

"It’s getting bigger?”

"Yeah. It wasn’t this big at first. And sometimes I hear this sound, like teeth clacking inside."

"Teeth…?"

At times like this, there was only one place to ask. Since Park Minho had brought his laptop, he immediately uploaded a picture of the hole.

[Title] What the hell is this?

Author: Cheezza

[Content] Looks like a hole leading to the Backrooms, but it keeps getting bigger. Anyone know what this is?

ㄴ(LostHassan) Where even is this?

ㄴ(Cheezza) At the house of the girl I was with. We got back out,and reconnected, so she invited me over.

ㄴ(LostHassan) WAIT WHAT???? A girl invited you? I’ve never had a girl I met in the Backrooms invite me anywhere, you know? Something’s seriously wrong here.

ㄴYeah, your face, bro.

ㄴMust be nice being handsome, huh?

ㄴNow I don’t even feel like helping you.

ㄴ(Chiavelli) Could you maybe check the DM I sent you? ^^

Park Minho felt a headache coming in.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Guys, this is serious.

ㄴ(Pitbull) It’s getting bigger? That’s definitely a space parasite. Looks like a hole, but it’s actually a type of anomalous entity.

ㄴ(Cheezza) A parasite? It doesn’t even look alive tho?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Throw something decently big into it. You’ll get a reaction.

ㄴ(Cheezza) kk

Park Minho asked Seol Suyeon for something expendable and brought over a trash can she didn’t really use.

"I was told to throw something in. Step back, just in case.”

"O-okay."

He tossed the trash can, after which something completely unexpected happened.

"Kraaaaaaaah!”

With a horrifying roar, rows of teeth, each the size of a human forearm, burst out from the edge of the hole. And then they began chewing violently.

-Crunch! Grind!

In an instant, the trash can was shredded into pieces and swallowed into the void.

"Wh-what the hell was that?”

"Eeeek!”

Park Minho and Seol Suyeon both flinched and instinctively clung to each other. Eyes wide, they backed away, then quickly slammed the door shut.

-Bang!

Back in the living room, Park Minho immediately started typing, while Seol Suyeon stuck close beside him, staring at the screen.

-Tap, tap.

ㄴ(Cheezza) That thing’s insane. Teeth came out and started chewing.

ㄴLMAOOOOO look at the newbie freaking out.

ㄴ(LostHassan) Should’ve just jumped in.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Why the hell does something like that even exist?

ㄴ(Pitbull) When a connection point forms between reality and the Backrooms, sometimes a space parasite nests in the passage. Looks like it’s already fully grown. You probably don’t have to worry about it getting any bigger.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Any chance the NCE can detect this?

ㄴ(Pitbull) If the NCE could detect stuff like that, they’d have sealed off all Backrooms entrances already and stopped people from going missing. But that’s not happening now, is it?

ㄴ(Cheezza) Aha. So what do we do with it? Can we get rid of it?

ㄴYou can make it disappear if you feed it something it hates, but honestly, I recommend you just leave it.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Wait, why?

ㄴCause it’s fun LOL

ㄴ(Cheezza) There’s nothing fun about this, though?

ㄴ(Pitbull) Trust me, once you realize what you can do with that thing, it’ll get fun.

The gallery immediately exploded with excitement.

ㄴUpvote if you think bro’s gonna blow his entire fortune in an hour.

ㄴ🢁

ㄴ🢁

ㄴ🢁

ㄴAhh yeah, this is on a completely different level. Welcome to the gambler's life!!!!

ㄴ(Cheezza) Why are you guys getting hyped over something only you understand? I signed the agreement too, you know?

They quickly explained. Apparently, this space parasite was basically a biological gacha machine.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Are you kidding me? Mobile gacha wasn’t enough, now we have an entity gacha, too? How does that make sense?

ㄴ(DaeguBadass) Oh, but it does, you know? Space parasites latch onto all kinds of connection points in the Backrooms. That means they end up collecting items from various floors inside their ‘stomach’.

ㄴ(Cheezza) So? That’s the gacha?

ㄴ(DaeguBadass) Yeah. There’s a way to make it spit out those stored items one by one.

ㄴ(Cheezza) And that is?

ㄴ(DaeguBadass) Gold coins. They’re a special kind of energy source and basically gourmet food for space parasites. They’ve already learned that if they want coins, they just have to cough up items in return.

ㄴ(Cheezza) What do you mean…?

ㄴ(DaeguBadass) Most of it is junk, but sometimes you hit the jackpot. There are even relics from famous Backrooms explorers in there.

"What…are they even talking about?”

Even as he said that, Park Minho was already rummaging through the gold coins in his bag.

In the end, he couldn’t resist the potential dopamine rush. Seol Suyeon quickly grabbed his wrist.

“Minho-nim, you’re seriously going to do this?”

"...Maybe just a few pulls?”

"What? You came here to solve the problem, not to turn my house into a gambling den.”

"But what if something good comes out…?”

"You’re unbelievable. Each coin is worth like 300 million won, right? Even by the old market price."

"Which makes it even more thrilling, right?”

Just then another comment popped up.

ㄴ(Pitbull) FYI, space parasites don’t attack people who feed them coins. So afterward, you can even use it as a dimensional passage.

That meant it was basically an entrance to the Backrooms’ Floor 0. Park Minho took out a coin and handed one to Seol Suyeon.

"Looks like you’ll have to throw one too. Unless you want to get shredded by those teeth.”

In the end, they decided to each throw just one. Even if it failed, they’d still gain a passage to Floor 0.

"Minho-nim, you go first.”

"Ladies first."

"Wooow. Only when it suits you, huh?”

"My coin, my rules, right?”

"That’s so petty."

Grumbling, Seol Suyeon tossed the gold coin in.

The golden coin traced an arc through the air and disappeared into the black maw. Its teeth burst out again from the edge and began chewing. But unlike before, it wasn’t violent and instead seemed almost pleased.

"Chomp! Chompchomp!”

At one point, a tongue-like tentacle even shot out, making Seol Suyeon shriek and jump back. Then the hole began to ripple and bulge, like it was about to spit something out.

"Suyeon-nim! Something’s coming out!”

"Really?”

-Tatatatata.

Seol Suyeon, who had run away, came springing back.

"Gueeeeack!”

Accompanied by a vomiting sound, something shot out.

Wrapped in sticky fluid, it was a lump of cloth of unknown origin.

"What…is this?”

"It kind of smells, but maybe it’s something useful.”

"Hold on.”

Park Minho used the barcode scanner.

-Beep.

[Damp Carpet Scrap/ Low-grade/ Trash]

[It smells terrible. Dispose of it immediately for hygiene purposes.]

"......."

"......."

Silence fell over the room for a moment, then Seol Suyeon screamed.

"300 MILLION WON! AAAAAGH! You’re telling me 300 million won just vanished into thin air like that? OH MY GOOOOD!”

She was supposed to be known as a pure, elegant VTuber, but right now, she looked exactly like a middle-aged gambler who just lost everything at a casino.

Watching her, Park Minho thought that he should just throw in just one more coin and be done with it.

‘If I try to win it back, I’m going to ruin my life. Just secure the portal and stop.'

-Ting.

Park Minho flicked a coin into the air and watched it fall into the hole.

"CHOMP! Chompchomp!”

The space parasite greedily devoured it and spat something out again.

"Gwehk!”

This time, it was a letter envelope coated in sticky fluid.

"Haah......"

Park Minho sighed. It looked like nothing more than trash at a glance.

"Welp. There goes another 300 million……”

He felt like crying. Was that what it felt like watching someone else’s house burn only to realize it was actually your own?

'Wait, both coins were mine anyway.'

He couldn’t believe he’d just burned through 600 million won. Still, he scanned the envelope.

-Beep.

[White Room Access Ticket/Legendary/Single-use]

[The visitor will be protected. The visitor may return at any time.]

[The visitor may retrieve the owner’s belongings with permission.]

[Usable only within the Backrooms.]

"Huh…? What is this?”

The description was anything but normal. It was also his first time seeing a Legendary item as well.

Park Minho took a picture and uploaded it to the gallery. And then, his DMs exploded.

Ping! Vrrr!

Ping! Vrrr!

Ping! Vrrr!

▶ Chiavelli: I won’t try to recruit you, so how about visiting my room? I’ll give you <Miracle Arts>.

▶ KimChilsung: Care for a drink? I’ll show you the finest beverage in the Backrooms. One that can reshape one's body and talent!

▶ LostHassan: I take back what I said earlier. I’ve got something you’ll definitely want! <The Absolute Encyclopedia of Entities>.

▶ DaeguBadass: I’d like to tell you about our secret society. Visit us and we’ll fully support your exploration. Also, we can offer a universal exit ticket usable on any floor!

▶ <Admin>: What if I told you the entity running this gallery is a top-tier beauty? Don’t you want to check?

Even the regulars were throwing out insane offers, all trying to get Park Minho to visit them.

"But what the hell…is wrong with the admin?”

It was kind of tempting though.

_________________________________________________________________________

Join our Discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/wetried